


Flash

by yankeetooter



Category: Chernobyl (TV 2019)
Genre: Blindness, Burns, Grenades, Hurt/Comfort, Injury, Injury Recovery, M/M, Major Character Injury
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-05
Updated: 2020-10-05
Packaged: 2021-03-07 22:35:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26805214
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yankeetooter/pseuds/yankeetooter
Summary: Valery is hurt...but it could have been much worse.
Relationships: Valery Legasov/Boris Shcherbina
Comments: 4
Kudos: 23





	Flash

**Author's Note:**

  * For [StellanObsession](https://archiveofourown.org/users/StellanObsession/gifts).



> As a side note, it's been a long time since I've been able to write. I don't know if it's all the turmoil going on right now in my country (the U.S.) or not, but it's been almost impossible to get started again.
> 
> Last year I participated in Whumptober and wrote something like 25 stories in as many days! But this year, well, the topics seem too specific, and the first few days too similar to one another. 
> 
> So right now I'm using a random word generator to get prompts for writing, hoping this will get my juices flowing again. First word is...flash
> 
> Gifted to StellanObsession for all her constant encouragement (and nagging, LOL) to get writing again.

The people of Pripyat had left, the last bus pulling out about two hours ago. The town was eerily silent, making the noise of the helicopters flying overhead even more noticeable. Hour after hour they flew over the remains of reactor #4, dumping their loads as close to the wreckage as they could, hoping the sand and boron would help put the fires out.

It was getting late. Sunset was imminent, but still the helicopters flew. Even with the spotlights surrounding the nuclear power plant, darkness would bring a halt to operations until the next day. Which was why Pikalov and Shcherbina looked up in alarm when they heard the last helicopter flying over as the dusk deepened.

"Are they mad?" Pikalov shouted, running toward the command post. "It's way too dark to be flying at this hour!"

Boris was right on his heels. Valery, who had been sitting off to the side engrossed in paperwork, looked up at the commotion, then hurried to follow in Boris' footsteps. 

Only halfway to the post, all three stopped and watched in horror as the helicopter showed signs of distress before plunging to the earth. Valery staggered against Boris, who supported him with one large hand planted in the middle of his back. He too was shocked but, having been in the military, was better able to handle the horror of it all.

To the trio's amazement, a few of the soldiers onboard came staggering toward them from the wreckage, the helicopter in flames and on the verge of exploding. Sounds of sirens from approaching firetrucks rushing to the scene made it even harder to hear what they were trying to report.

Frustrated, Pikalov waved them towards the medical tent for treatment, but one soldier, a bit less injured than the others, insisted on staying to convey his message.

"Later, Comrade," Pikalov ordered. "Go get treated for those burns."

"No, please sir, I...must tell you." The soldier had to stop to gasp for breath, his voice ragged from smoke inhalation. At Pikalov's nod, he continued. "All the sensors, the recorded information we were trying to get, was thrown clear of the helicopter..."

Valery wasted no time running towards the blazing inferno. They needed those readings! He needed to know if a day's worth of drops had made any difference so they could adjust their plan of attack for the next day if need be.

Boris tried to grab his arm, but Valery was off that quick. He made to follow but was brought up by the soldier's next words.

"That's not all, General. The pack of stun grenades, standard issue of course, well, we never unloaded them from the helicopter before taking off and hey flew out during the crash as well. We need to clear the area at once!"

Boris didn't stay to hear anymore. He sprinted off in the direction Valery had gone, hoping against hope to catch up with the scientist and get him to safety.

\----------------

Valery slowly came to in the pitch black. He couldn't sit up because of some heavy weight resting on top of his body. His face hurt horribly, almost like when he was a boy and had fallen asleep in the sun, but much worse. His alarm grew when he realized he should have been able to see something. The helicopter had been ablaze, and there had been numerous spotlights placed around the plant. 

Wresting an arm free of the mysterious weight holding him down, he waved his hand in front of his face. No, nothing! Gingerly feeling his face and eyes, he confirmed that his eyes were open, although they felt swollen. He felt blisters painfully bursting on his forehead as he probed for further injuries.

Trying not to be scared, Valery comforted himself with the knowledge that Boris had remained back at the post with Pikalov. Unless?

Dread filled him as he reached down with his free hand, his worst fears realized as his fingers felt shreds of clothing, clothing that had a fine quality to it where it hadn't been charred. His fingertips continued exploring, finding a well chiseled jaw. Tremblingly, he traced that jawline down to below the ear. Please, he thought, please let him be okay!

And there it was, the faint beat of a pulse beneath his fingertips. Valery gave a sob before fainting from mingled pain and relief.

\--------------

Voices! Voices coming from some distance away but getting closer! Valery tried to yell, but with Boris lying on top of him, he couldn't get a deep enough breath to do so.

Still, it wasn't long before they were surrounded by what sounded like soldiers, and then there was the sound of Pikalov's voice nearby. But why couldn't he see anything? Boris' weight was suddenly gone from off of him, and Valery instinctively reached out for his friend. Was he okay? Where were they taking him?

"Easy, Valery!" Pikalov's voice again. "They're taking Boris back to camp, and we need to get you back too. How are you feeling?"

"M-my face h-hurts," Valery stammered, still distracted by Boris' absence. "And I can't see." Valery's voice broke on that last statement. He wasn't ready to face the fact that he may have been permanently blinded.

"What happened?" Pikalov asked to distract him. He suspected, correctly as it turned out, that Valery had come across those stun grenades, but any details that the scientist could provide would help him determine that.

"I was running toward the helicopter...but trying to stay as far away as possible!" Valery blurted as he saw the disapproving scowl grow on Pikalov's face. "What?! We needed those readings, you know that!"

"Not at the expense of losing you, Legasov." 

Valery nodded in acknowledgement. "Well, there was this blinding flash, and then this wave of heat hit me. Before I could even recover my breath, something heavy hit me."

"Boris."

"Boris. Yes." Valery bit back a sob. "Will he be okay, do you think?"

Pikalov's kindly eyes looked into Valery's. "I'm pretty certain he will, Valery. His jacket protected him at least somewhat, for one. And you know Boris, he's as tough as nails."

Valery smiled at that. Boris certainly was. "Well, what about me?" he finally asked, half dreading the answer.

"Are you familiar with stun grenades, Valery?"

"I know how they work chemically, and the general effects."

_Of course you do._

"Well, a man exposed to one stun grenade, assuming he's not on top of it, typically regains his sight within a few hours at most. I think you probably ran into a whole crate of them, so the flash would have been that much more intense." At Valery's aghast look, Pikalov hastened to reassure him as much as possible. "You will no doubt be laid up for a number of days, maybe even a week, but with the proper care, and if you listen to the doctor, (this last said sternly), you should regain your sight over time."

Valery sighed in relief, although he couldn't imagine not being able to work for a week. But before he could ask any more questions, the soldiers arrived with a stretcher for him and he was carted off to the medical tent.

\--------------

Boris woke hours later, finding himself lying face down on what he recognized as a military cot. He ached all over and when he tried to move, what felt like bandages pulled painfully at his back.

_What happened to me?_

It was some time before he could overcome the muddiness of his thoughts, but as soon as his memory resurfaced, he tried to sit up. "Valery!" he bellowed. "Where's Valery?"

Pikalov came hurriedly over with the medic, who approached with a hypodermic needle in hand. Before he got any closer, Boris had batted it out of the medic's hand.

"I want to know where Valera is!"

Pikalov indicated the cot to Boris' left. "He's right here, Boris, but you need to calm down! Your burns are still healing and you really took a beating."

Boris nodded absentmindedly, but he only had eyes for his Valery, who laid unmoving in the next cot, his face and eyes bandaged.

"What happened to him? Is he alright?"

"They think so, Boris." They're not completely sure about his eyesight, but only time will tell. Other than that, he has second degree burns on his face, and some bruises from when he hit the ground." Pikalov stopped, seeing the devastation on Boris' face as the Deputy Chairman realized that it was his actions that had injured Valery.

"Now, Boris, don't be a fool! If you hadn't tackled him to the ground, he would be much more badly burned. He might even have died!"

Boris acknowledged the logic of this, but he still gazed at Valery lying near him. "Okay, but I'm not taking anything for the pain!" (this said with a glare at the medic). "I want to be conscious when he wakes up!"

Nothing could convince Boris otherwise, so the medic and Pikalov left him lying in his cot, his head turned so he could watch Valery and with one arm stretched out across the walkway between them.

\------------

_Valery was on fire! He tried to put the flames out, but for some reason he couldn't see anything and the flames kept gaining purchase on his clothes. He slapped at his jacket and pants to try to put them out, but the burning was getting worse. He was going to burn to death! And Boris! Where was Boris? In between trying to put out the flames, Valery felt blindly all around him, but he couldn't find him._

A gentle shaking woke him. He was relieved to realize that he had been having a nightmare, but he couldn't stop trembling.

"Hush now, Valera! You were having a bad dream!"

 _Boris?_ Valery reached out gingerly. _Damn these bandages!_ His hands encountered someone sitting beside him who carefully embraced him.

"I'm here, Valera! It's okay, you're safe now. I'm right here!"

Valery sobbed into Boris' chest. "I thought, I thought..."

"What? It would take more than a few grenades to take out this drizzled old wolf! Now rest! All this stress isn't good for you!" 

But Valery wouldn't let go of Boris. What if he couldn't find him again? What if they moved Boris' cot and he didn't know where he was?

Boris chuckled kindly and gently untangled Valery's grip. "Now hold on a moment, Valera." The next thing Valery heard was Boris standing up from the squeaky cot, then the sound of the cot scraping across the floor. Then Boris was lying beside him and had taken him in his arms.

Valery sighed and nestled up against Boris. He fell asleep within moments and slept a peaceful, dreamless sleep.

\---------------

It was actually ten days before Valery completely recovered, but Boris never left his side except to tend to the essentials. Boris fed him, bathed him, and kept his spirits up throughout that whole time, and it was Boris that Valery first saw when the doctor finally removed his bandages. 

Even as things got back to normal, Valery never forgot that Boris had risked his life to save that of Valery's, and he never stopped marveling over the fact that someone could care for him that much.


End file.
